Xathura's Return
by FlowerofAdversity
Summary: A small error by Keeper in training, Artemis results in the rebirth of Xathura, only...this time he bears no mark of XANA. Intriegue ensues.


_Xathura's Return _

_Synopsis: Long ago, but by far different circumstances, Sissi gave birth to XANA's spawn, a surprisingly docile and gentle boy, Xathura (or Thura for short). Only recently has she married Odd and is expecting her first child. By some fluke of nature, Xathura is born. But how, and why ? _

_Chapter 1--Artimus the Understudy _

_All had been serene in Lyoko and Stability according to plan. Luna, who had been up to her kneecaps in extra work, needed to find an understudy to help her with all the busywork of information filing and had hired the daughter of the Overseer Apollo to assist her. Her name was Artemis. A cute, spry, energetic woman, quite tall for her age, she was not the type to want to sit down all day long typing up information and keeping documents straight. But Artemis was pleased she would be getting a job. Her mother Sierra knew Luna from their infancy training as an Overseer from the Elders and had since retired, but Apollo was still part of the guard even at his age. _

_Tawny Artemis woke up for duty on her first day of the job. Luna led her to a large facility that looked as if it was constructed from crystal and nano-machines. Everything either worked by telekinesis or touch-screen capabilities. Luna gave her a quick guide to what each machine did and which ones she would be responsible for. It seemed quite a lot for her to do to begin with but Artemis was ready. No sooner had she been given the tour of the Centre For Information (CFI) than she was ready to work. Instantly she began filing and sorting as precisely and accurately as a computer would. That is until she noticed some information that no one had mentioned for many, many years. It was under the seal of "Classified" information. _

"_Xathura Delmas: Deceased. Born of forced union between Elisabeth and XANA while under hypnotic control of Lord Umbra…", she read and felt her blood chill. She knew she had to file the information quickly, but then hit a button on her computer accidentally. _

"_Oh, darn !", she swore softly to herself. She placed an arrant silver hair behind her elfin ear, feeling her golden eyes water. She silently clenched her fist in her lap. How could she have been so clumsy ? She sighed, feeling idiotic. She couldn't tell Luna about what she had done or she would be fired on the spot. Maybe the problem would simply disappear. She could only pray to the Gods and hope it did. _

_Chapter 2--An Unexpected Blessing _

_Elisabeth and Odd had recently tied the knot and were enjoying their vacation in the tropics. They would spend most of their time cuddling together, walking on the beach hand in hand or laughing as they splashed each other in the water. The nights were spent together steamily as they enjoyed each other's company, passionately making love until dawn and both of them awoke to each other smiling radiantly. Sadly, their vacation had to come to an end, but they couldn't get enough of each other behind closed doors. Before long, Sissi was expecting and Odd was practically beside himself. _

"_I am so excited ! I wonder what it'll be, boy or girl !", Odd said, feeling Sissi's belly, which hadn't emerged yet. They had only discovered, by virtue of a pregnancy test that she had the hormone present that could possibly mean she had become pregnant. It wasn't a fool-proof detector. But as the weeks progressed so did her size and her bizarre cravings. She had become a little irritable, but such was to be expected with her hormones dashing about as insanely as they were. Despite that, she was a bit anxious and wondered herself if she'd make a good mother. She knew both mom and dad would be very welcoming to the child, but she felt a bit strange, as if the child was foreign. She wasn't certain why, but she shook off the feeling later. She was faithful, so having that kind of thought cross her mind was very strange indeed. Quickly the thought faded away and it didn't enter her mind again. _

_Elisabeth gave birth to a healthy baby boy, one that looked frighteningly familiar to Odd. "This is Xathura, but he has my eyes…", Odd said, gawking. Sissi was as confused as he was. How could this have happened ? She had no contact with XANA and that time of her forced submission had been all but obliterated from their memory. _

"_I'm as confused as you are, but we need to seek help immediately. I think the Overseers would know.", Elisabeth stated, cradling adorable little Thura in her arms. There was no trace of XANA's mark on him this time. Instead of being named Xathura, he had been named James after the couple's surrogate father._

_The inquisitive and thoroughly confused young parents teleported themselves to Stability with questions for the Overseers. Luna was the one to greet her and Artemis was at her side. Artemis looked as if she had swallowed something terribly bitter by the time she had seen James and almost shook like a leaf. _

"_Artemis, what's the matter with you ! Why are you behaving in such a manner ? I've never seen you like this.", Luna said, taking her aside. Artemis had been keeping her 'error' a secret for a total of nine months now and it had been eating at her day by day and keeping her awake at night. _

"_About that, Elder Luna…I made a mistake.", Artemis said. Luna's already alabaster skin turned even paler at the dour word 'mistake'. It sounded positively morbid coming from Artemis's youthful lips. _

"_Go on. What did you do, my dear ?", Luna questioned. Artemis' lower lip began quivering and she started sobbing loudly. _

"_It was one of the data files. I hit one button by mistake. It was Xathura's dossier…Once a mistake like that is made it can't be undone…", Artemis said, weeping pitifully. Luna was at an impasse. She wasn't sure how to calm her young understudy. Anyone could've made the same error, but it still came as a shock. _

"_Artemis, don't fret. We're all imperfect creatures. It won't be the first, nor shall it be the last time someone has erred.", Luna stated, wisely. Artemis wiped her tears and nodded, calming down considerably. _

_Odd and Sissi too, were confused. _

"_So, you mean to tell me he's with us for good now ?", Odd asked, scratching his head in a bewildered, almost overwhelmed state. _

"_Odd ! How can you say that ! He is still our baby ! He may be a reincarnation of Xathura, though I see no mark of XANA anywhere…", Sissi stated in a bit of an upset in her tone. Odd loved their child of course, but wasn't very keen on the fact that it happened to be Xathura returned. _

"_Yes, like Artemis said once an error in someone's file is created it cannot be undone.", Luna said, honestly as the five of them enjoyed tea and biscuits around a marble table in Luna's home. James Leopold was fed lovingly from his mother's breast and had recently gone to sleep in her arms. _

"_Forgive me. I don't know what else to do. We've spoken to the other Keepers. None of us are about to take a life. Such a thing would be unorthodox.", Luna said, sternly. Odd understood, especially since James had only come into the world and taking him from it would be cruel. _

"_Why doesn't he have XANA's mark, though ?", Odd asked after a pregnant pause. _

"_None of us really know that, but we presume it isn't present because of XANA's release from Lord Umbra.", Artemis responded. _

"_What do we do now though ? We came here, hoping we would get some answers, but we've returned to the starting point.", Odd asked. _

"_We should find someplace more open to converse about this.", Luna said, having finished her snack. Artemis, following close behind, gestured for them to follow. Shrugging, Sissi took the lead and Odd followed suit. _

_Chapter 3--Sage Advise _

_They entered an arboretum in stability that was pristine and contained all sorts of trees, flowers, and strange and wonderful insects that neither of them had seen in the actual world. They seemed to be other people's dreams. _

"_These are the cleansed viruses. They cause no trouble here.", Luna said as one of the fiberglass butterflies landed on her finger and fluttered away, making a gorgeous musical melody. _

"_I know you're upset, and I know you're perplexed but maybe this is meant to be a blessing.", Luna said, warmly. Sissi, at the moment, was the only one that saw it that way. When they had known Xathura before possession he had always been loving, kind, gentle, tender and gifted. Perhaps he had chosen for himself to be recreated in this world for another chance at existence, but they would never know that because he was only a child now and couldn't reveal that to them. _

"_Is this some sort of cosmic joke ?", Odd fired back, his tone completely different from before. Sissi had to shield James' ears, afraid he would hear. The poor little baby had become upset and started to cry and she did her best to shush him and keep him calm. _

"_No. It isn't a joke. What is, is. I'm sorry we cannot answer any of your inquiries. We tried our best asking everyone we knew, Elders, Overseers, Keepers, the entire Hierarchy. We even asked in Lyoko itself. Not even XANA was able to provide any response. But he did wish to see the child sometime. He wants to be his godfather.", Luna said. Odd clenched his fist. It was all so terribly wrong and this rage he felt was unearthly. He knew XANA was different now but part of him wanted vengeance for that fateful night so long ago. _

_Soon, James had stopped crying thanks to Sissi's singing and rocking him back and forth soothingly. _

"_I don't see why I have to allow __XANA _into our personal business.", Odd seethed, trying to keep his temper at bay. 

"It is, even in a small part, an essence of him. Don't hold a grudge…", Sissi said, gently as she handed little James Eli to him and the little baby yawned, stretching out his chubby arms and curling up against his chest. Odd felt as if he had melted in that instance. It was hard not to love the child. It was their baby after all, whatever the circumstances. His hardened heart had been changed. 

He would allow XANA to see the child whenever he wished. 

It was at this juncture that the couple left Stability and entered Lyoko. Strangely it wasn't awkward seeing XANA and showing him James, letting him hold him for the first time in what seemed to be forever. 

"I missed him so much. I hated doing the unthinkable…I almost had forgotten the pain.", XANA said, weeping candidly. His tears fell on James' face, who blinked, awoke and giggled in XANA's arms. 

"I think he knows who you are.", Sissi said, sweetly. 

"That's impossible though, he's just an infant.", Odd said, astonished. 

"Sometimes, even infants possess far greater wisdom than their adult counterparts.", Oleander stated, profoundly, tickling the infant under his chin and causing him to coo and laugh ecstatically. Godfather and godson reunited as if nothing had separated them, not even death. It was the most unusual and spiritual ceremony the couple had seen. Odd didn't feel so jealous or overprotective of his son. From this moment forward, James Eli would have a visitation from his godfather each birthday he had. XANA and all parties involved seemed satisfied with this decision. 

Chapter 4--The Greatest of these is Love 

Even though it had been difficult to say farewell to XANA and Oleander and Lyokians as well as the Keepers, Overseers and Elders of Stability Odd and Sissi had brought little James home to sleep in his crib. Pasquale, who had come to see the baby first with his parents gawked in amazement at the child. He already knew how babies were formed. He was, after all a bit precocious for his age, but was not afraid to ask questions and find answers to how the world worked. 

At James' reception all of Sissi's friends came to welcome James into the world and bring gifts. It was a late birthday party and baby shower wrapped into one ceremony. Many of the friends hadn't noticed the fact that the child did resemble Xathura of the past but to be honest, they had forgotten. It didn't seem to matter much now and many riddles were left unsolved. But one thing was for certain and that was love was simply evident within James' life. Even his surrogate dad, James Morales, was positively delighted in seeing him for the first time. He shed a tear of gratitude for being given the rare honor of having a child named after him. 

"I'm certain he'll grow up to be an upstanding gentleman.", Jim stated, confidently as he tickled the little boy on his little round belly and he squealed with glee. The baby was handed around and fussed over by the friends and family and seemed to be getting quite tired even though there was a lot of commotion going on. 

"Shhhh, James is sleeping.", Sissi said, softly as she gently took her son from a beaming Leon and Taelia, who were looking forward to getting married later in the year and he winked at her knowingly, seeing what wonders they had to look forward to. 

As James slept noiselessly in his crib, monitored by Odd's specialized baby monitor (that amusingly looked like Kiwi II) listening for any sound he would make should he need to be fed or have his diaper changed, or even if he wanted to be comforted by mommy and daddy. The friends spoke for what seemed to be hours until the evening and realized it was late. Pasquale was getting tired although he was a teenager now. It was miraculous how children grew so quickly but interesting how they always remained their parent's even when they were older. 

"I think it's time for us to be going. It's late and all of us have plans for tomorrow, but we will return to see you and little Jimmy soon.", Michael said as he took Emily by the hand and they were the first to depart the house. Of course, both of them had to look at the little boy sleeping in the crib before they left. He was simply too lovely and sweet for words alone to convey. 

Epilogue 

Every birthday, XANA comes to visit the child and marks his progress. Strangely the boy doesn't resemble his godfather in any way, shape or form but remarkably takes after both mom and dad with short spiky black hair and violet blue eyes from his father. His attitude was much like that of his father, and like daddy, he could speak perfect Italian since Odd spoke it rather often with his parents over the internet and phone daily. Sissi learned too and her speaking level was moderate while James' was stellar. He was bilingual and only 7, so they knew they had a prodigy on their hands. Apparently, he hadn't remembered his past so it remained hidden but if the day came that he did and he was grateful for his second chance no further questions would be asked.

James began showing an interest in art and enjoyed martial arts and soccer. Odd and Sissi attended his soccer games, watching him play with delight. It wasn't certain whether he'd become the next Beckam or Pele, but they could dream. Whatever he became, they were behind him all the way. Besides, it was possible he could also be a Warrior like they were. He showed a great talent with growing plants and a strange ability to heal more quickly than normal. Perhaps the day would arrive when the true power he had would be revealed but for the time being all was calm and serene in Lyoko and no trace of evil had been seen since Umbra's defeat. It didn't mean the Warriors weren't being diligent. The Overseers, Keepers and Elders were still keeping their eyes open, changing the guard during the night at the gateway, just for good measure. There would be new Warriors to come from the originals and when they were needed, they would be prepared.

The End


End file.
